


Dance Partners

by AstraBabe



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Crushes, Dancing, F/F, First Crush, First Dance, Fluff, Slow Dancing, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, young kyalin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-07
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-12 20:01:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,466
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29266167
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AstraBabe/pseuds/AstraBabe
Summary: Lin has practically grown up on Air Temple Island but she's never been alone with Kya before. That is, until Katara forces the two to hang out before dinner. In Kya's room. Alone. What is she supposed to do? Learn to dance, of course!For Winter ATLA Femslash Day 7: Dancing
Relationships: Lin Beifong/Kya II
Comments: 6
Kudos: 50
Collections: Winter ATLA Femslash Week 2021





	Dance Partners

**Author's Note:**

> This is actually the start to a long fic I haven't had the time to write. I’ll get around to it one day. Enjoy!
> 
> Ages: Su 6, Lin 12, Tenzin 12, Kya 14, Bumi 19
> 
> If you'd like to listen along to their slow dance song, check the end notes!

Lin practically grew up on Air Temple Island with Aunt Katara and Uncle Aang. They treated her like another one of their kids. For as long as she could remember, Lin had also known Tenzin, Bumi, and Kya, her first friends. Being his age, Lin gravitated towards Tenzin. As Kya and Bumi got older, they would frequently be off doing their own thing, leaving her to hang out with Tenzin by herself. Lin had never hung out alone with either Kya or Bumi before. That changed when all the adults decided to get together for the winter solstice. It was the first time in a long time everyone would be around, though uncle Zuko and Sokka and their daughter Izumi would be a bit late. When everyone arrived, they wanted to commemorate the occasion by taking a big family photo before dinner. 

This meant that her mother forced Lin to wear her green qipao. The dress was a dark emerald green made of a stiff silk brocade. A lotus flower pattern was stitched onto the fabric in a fine gold thread, extra embroidery adorning the collar and sleeves. The high collar, while normally fine, felt itchy and restrictive. The sleeves flared awkwardly at the middle of her forearms, and the boxy waistline swallowed Lin up. It made her look like a little kid and she was not. _She was twelve_. But Toph made her wear it every single time she needed her daughter to accompany her to a formal event. In her mother’s words, it was the only dress that didn’t make Lin look like a “little hoodlum”, and Lin hated it. She didn’t like wearing dresses, period. 

When they got to the island, Lin made the usual rounds. She guided her sister around, following their mother to say hello to everyone. When they made it to uncle Aang, Lin gave him a big hug, as always. Suyin clung to Aang’s leg and asked him question after question about the air bison. Lin took the chance to sneak away from Su and Toph, looking for the other kids, but none were there. That’s when aunt Katara came up to her. Right on time.

“Hi Lin, are you looking for the others?”

One of the adults usually rounded them up before dinner, shooing them off so they could tell stories that were for “adult ears only”. Only this time, none of the others were around.

“Yeah, I was going to go find Tenzin.”

“Oh, Tenzin is finishing up some studying with the acolytes. He probably won’t be done until dinner.”

“That’s fine. Is Bumi around?”

“He’s…well, I don’t know, but I’m sure he'll be here for dinner,” Katara paused, then smiled, “But Kya should be in her room! Why don’t the two of you spend some time together?”

Lin loved hanging out with Tenzin, Kya, and Bumi together but she _could not_ hang out with Kya alone. She was her only close girl friend, and because Kya was two years older, Lin couldn’t help looking up to her. And, she was _cool_. Spending time alone with Kya terrified her. She tried to think of an excuse.

“Are you sure she’s not busy? I wouldn’t want to bother her.”

“Nonsense, I’m sure she wouldn’t mind seeing you!”

“But I don’t know where her room is.”

“I’ll show you!”

Lin did not want to budge, but Aunt Katara put her hand on Lin’s back, gently pushing her along. Shuffling down the hallway, Lin felt nothing but dread as they approached her door.

Katara knocked on her door before opening it. Kya looked up. She was standing in front of the mirror brushing her hair. Most of her long brown hair hung freely, save for a low bun held in place by a whalebone barrette. She wore a dark blue off-shoulder dress with a fur trim on the skirt and dark blue cuffs on her forearms with different geometric patterns.

“Kya, why don’t you and Lin spend some time together before dinner? I’m sure that would be fun, just you two girls.”

Lin cringed.

“Sure.” Kya shrugged.

Katara scooted Lin into the room, shutting the door behind her. Lin stood there awkwardly, hands hanging like deadweights at her side. This was the first time she’d seen Kya’s room.

“Hey, Lin.” Kya set the brush down, then eyed Lin up and down.

“Don’t say it.”

“What a beautiful dress, Miss Beifong.” She grinned. She’d seen the dress on Lin before and knew she hated it.

“Shut up or I'll bend a rock at your head.”

“And I’ll bend your blood into ice!” Kya joked, waggling her fingers like she was talking about a ghost.

“That’s illegal. And, you don’t know how to do that.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Are you going to sit down or what?” Kya plopped down on her bed.

“Oh, uh, yes.” Lin lowered herself to sit on the floor.

“No,” Kya laughed. She patted the bed next to her. “Up here.”

“I didn’t know where it’d be okay to sit.”

“You can sit wherever you want. Everything is a chair if you try hard enough.”

It was stupid, but it made Lin smirk. She sat on the bed next to Kya and leaned back on her hands, taking in the room. Kya managed to add her own flair to a room with otherwise plain furniture of a bed, dresser, desk, and small bookshelf. The walls were plastered with all sorts of things from family photos, pictures cut out from magazines, and some posters of various jazz bands. 

The wall around her dresser was covered with photographs Kya had amassed of her family and friends, her favorites stuck onto the mirror itself. On top of the dresser, an array of things were strewn about such as her hair brush, a bottle of perfume, and a growing collection of half-drunk cups of tea. The bookshelf was small, about waist height, jammed with old books and magazines in no particular order. On top, it was adorned with some crystals, a few rocks Kya thought looked cool, and melted down candles. Her room was a pleasant mess.

“I like your room.” Her room at home looked so different, Lin thought.

“Thanks, I try to liven it up in here.”

Lin noticed a large number of pictures of avatar Kyoshi by Kya’s headboard.

“You sure have a lot of photos of avatar Kyoshi,” Lin pointed out.

“I know, isn’t she cool?” Kya fawned

“Yeah, I think she’s awesome! Where’d you get them?”

“I _may_ have taken them out of some of dad’s books.”

“You tore them out!”

“Why? Are you gonna tell on me?” She shoved Lin’s shoulder playfully.

“No,” Lin huffed.

“I get most of my photos from magazines, but I made one exception. Besides, he wasn’t reading them, I figured I might as well.”

Lin looked to the wall behind her. “Where’d you get the map?”

“Dad got it for me when he came back from a diplomatic mission.” 

It was a large and ornate map, with topographically detailed regions of each nation and their major cities. There were a few pins stuck into it here and there.

“What do those pins mean?” Lin pointed.

“The places I’ve visited with my family. Ember Island, South Pole, a few Air Temples. Not a lot, but I wanna travel to all the cities on the map one day.”

“All of them? Why?”

“Because, I’d get to explore all those different places! Meet all different kinds of people, learn about different music and food. You could also pretend to be a new person every place you go!”

“I like Republic City.”

“That’s fine too, I guess.”

Lin regretted her response. _I should’ve said something cooler. Think. Think._

“Uh, who would you pretend to be while travelling?”

Kya was glad she asked. She put her arm around Lin, holding her other out in the air.

“I would be Ronok! A mysterious and aloof traveler, leaving intrigue and heartbreak in my wake.”

Lin stifled a laugh. Kya had definitely been thinking about this way too much.

“You can’t be mysterious.”

“Yes, I can!” Kya put her hands on her hips.

“You’d talk to everyone. I’ve seen you have whole conversations with the island’s lemurs. You can’t be aloof.”

“ _Maybe so._ But, I could pretend to be aloof!”

“Sure.” Lin rolled her eyes and smiled. When they were talking, she felt a little better until the conversation halted again.

“So…what do you want to do?” Lin asked, swinging her legs as they hung off the bed.

“Ooh! Do you want to listen to a record?” Kya seemed excited.

“You have your own record player?” Lin’s eyes lit up. They only had a radio at home which her mom used mostly to listen to political news, sometimes radio dramas. 

“Yeah, look!” Kya got excited. She pushed herself off the bed and crouched down to pull a small blue trunk out from underneath. She hefted it onto the bed, and unlatched the locks to reveal a small turntable.

“Where did you get that? I’ve never seen one like that before.” Lin stared in awe.

“Bumi got it for me when he came back from Ba Sing Se! I don’t have many records, though.” Kya laid down on the ground, shoving her arm far under the bed and patting around for her records. “Got one!” she exclaimed.

Lin watched as Kya slid the record out of its sleeve and put it on the player. Kya cranked the handle on the side a bit before lifting the needle onto the record. It took a moment until the music started. A bright tune began to play led by trumpets, a trombone, and clarinet. It was upbeat, establishing a catchy rhythm before a piano joined the mix. Lin tapped her foot along to the beat, and Kya swayed from side to side.

“Doesn’t this make you want to dance?” Kya moved back a bit from the bed, and began to twist from side to side, the blue fabric of her dress swaying with her.

“No.”

“I see you tapping your foot!”

“I don’t know how.” Lin crossed her arms.

“I can show you!”

“I’ll look silly,” she complained.

“I’ll look sillier if I dance by myself. Why don’t you try?” 

Lin hesitated for a moment, searching Kya’s face to see if this might be some sort of joke. Her smile seemed innocent enough. Lin reluctantly stood up.

“All right, so what do I do?”

“Try and follow me. First, take a step back with your left foot.”

“Okay.” Lin mirrored Kya’s movement

“Then, kick it up and step.”

“Uh huh.”

“Then kick your right foot up, reach it back, and step.”

“Got it. Then what?”

“Then you do it again! Now, show me what you got.”

Lin repeated the movements shyly while Kya watched.

“Great!” Kya said. “Now we can dance.” Kya grabbed Lin’s arm and pulled her away from the bed to the middle of the room. The song began to ramp up with brassy clashes of the trombones and trumpets.

Kya snapped along to the song, dancing in time with the rhythm. She’d take a swift step back, then kick her leg up with enthusiasm. Lin was unsure, moving a bit stiffly, but kept on time.

“You’re getting it!” she encouraged, then twirled around.

Lin twirled around too, unsteadily but laughing. Kya grabbed Lin’s hands to steady her, laughing herself. They began to dance together at arm’s length, pulling each other in and pushing each other out again on beat. They got lost in the music, and their dancing devolved into just wiggling, kicking, flapping their arms about in silly motions. As the song came to a close, both were out of breath, their hair slightly askew. The record stalled between songs.

“That was actually fun,” Lin said, surprised.

“Yeah, it’s _way_ more fun with a dance partner. Tenzin never wants to dance and Bumi sucks at it.” Kya readjusted her low bun.

“I could be your dance partner!” Lin said a bit too eagerly. “I mean, if you want.”

“I’d love that!” Kya beamed.

Lin stared at her wide smile and felt her heart beat faster. Before she could linger on that feeling, a sweet piano tune began followed by the drone of violins. It was much calmer than the first song.

“This one’s a slow song,” Kya said. She closed her eyes and swayed side to side.

“It’s lovely,” Lin said, looking at Kya. “How do you dance to it?”

“Like this.” Kya did a little bow and held out her hand to Lin. “Care to dance?” she asked, putting on a funny deep voice. She raised her eyebrows at Lin.

“I’d love to.” Lin put her hand to her forehead in feigned swooning. She took Kya’s hand.

“Okay, so stand like this.” Kya positioned her toes directly in front of Lin’s. She placed one hand on Lin’s back, and held Lin’s with the other.

“Now what?”

“You just kinda step back and forth, I think.” Kya took a step back, and Lin took a step forward, and repeated. They stood in place, waltzing back and forth.

“Is this it?” Lin said.

“I think so. It’s how adults dance.”

“They dance boring.”

“Then how about this?” Kya let go of holding Lin’s back and spun her in a circle with her other hand.

“Now, I’m dizzy!” Lin wobbled.

“Whoops!” Kya spun her again.

“Let me spin you!” She repeated the same, standing on her toes to spin Kya. “The spins are more fun. What else do they do?”

“Sometimes they kiss.” Kya made kissy noises at Lin.

“Gross!”

Kya nodded and they waltzed some more. Lin noticed Kya and her were standing very close and that Kya was tall enough to look down on her. She glanced up at Kya. Her hair fell slightly in her face, swaying as they moved, and the dark blue of her dress made her pale blue eyes seem bright. Lin pulled her eyes away as she felt heat rise in her cheeks, looking at the floor, the wall, anywhere except Kya’s face.

“Your hands are sweaty.” Kya broke her train of thought.

“No, they aren’t!”

“They’re so sweaty I could water bend the sweat off of them,” she teased.

“Shut up!” Lin pulled her hands away and wiped them on her dress.

“Nervous for our slow dance?” she continued.

“No, I just hate dancing.”

“Well, I think you’re pretty good.”

“You do?”

“Yeah!”

The needle stalled, reaching the end of the record, playing nothing but scratchy fuzz.

“Can we do something else now?” Lin looked at the floor, trying to shirk off the new feeling she felt in her stomach.

“Okaaaay,” Kya obliged, taking the needle off the record, _“gecko-frog hands.”_

**Author's Note:**

> If you enjoyed, please consider leaving a comment! ^_^
> 
> References:  
> \- The description of the qipao (modern cheongsam) is based on fashion diagrams and photos from 1911-1915 China.  
> \- LOK takes place in an approximation of the 1920s. As kids, Kya and Lin were alive probably sometime before that. Instead of going for hard technological and garment accuracy, I used general references from the 1900s - 1930s.  
> \- The song [Koi no Uta by Amano Kikuyo](http://music.cdbpdx.com/Japanese/) inspired their slow dance. It’s a 1929 Japanese jazz song, originally on 78 rpm vinyl. I just really like old jazz.


End file.
